Long Beans and Green beans Stir-fry

This is one of the simplest combination beans stir-fry for everyday cooking. Very few ingredients and fresh beans brings true bean flavors and makes this stir-fry very tasty and nutritious.

Ingredients :

• 1 1/2 Cup cut Long beans - duly cut into 1 Cm long pieces (slightly cut off both the ends)
  
• 2 Cup cut green beans - duly cut into 1 Cm long pieces (slightly cut off both the ends)
• 1 small size onion duly chopped.
  
• 3 green chilies chopped.
• 10-15 curry leaves.
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
• 1 Tb.spoon oil.

Method Of cooking:

1. Heat 1 Tb.spoon oil in medium size pan.
2. Add 7-8 curry leaves as they sizzle wait for 15 seconds and add chopped onions. Stir-fry for 5-6 minutes on medium flames.
3. Add 1 1/2 cups cut long green beans and little salt. Stir and mix with onions and curry leaves. Increase flames to high and stirrfry for 3-4 minutes by constantly stirring.
4. Add 1/2 cup water. Reduce flames to medium and let it cook with closed lid for 3-4 minutes.
5. Now add two cups cut green beans, chopped green chilies, remaining curry leaves and add little more salt. Stir all well and let it cook for 6-7 minutes on medium flames.
6. Make sure that all water gets evaporated. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with rice and roti.
   

Kadhai Paneer

Kadhai Paneer is most popular rich subzi dish on the menu of Indian restaurants. I always wondered why there has to be Capsicum when they call it Kadhai Paneer. I googled it and found that no recipe is without addition of capsicum. Here is my version of Kadhai Paneer. I cooked with almost no gravy to bring more taste of Paneer and Capsicum in each bite.

Ingredients :

• 250 gm paneer - 2 Cups griddle fried cubes
• 2 medium sized capsicum cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 large onion - cut lengthwise
• 6 Roma tomatoes diced in cubes
• 2 Tb.spoon oil ( some extra for frying paneer and capsicum)
• 2 Tb.spoon heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 T.spoon red chili powder
• 5 Garlic cloves finely minced
• 1 inch piece of ginger finely minced

Spice Blend

• 5 Cloves.
  
• 2 Cardamom.
  
• 1 T.spoon shahajira.
• 1 Tb.spoon Fennel seeds.
• 1 Small Bay leaf.
• 1 inch piece of cinnamon.
• 5-6 strands of Saffron.

Except saffron finely powder all spices.

Griddle Fried Capsicum and Paneer Cubes

Method Of Preparation :-

A) Preparing Paneer cubes :

Cut paneer slab in half inch strips. Heat griddle to medium and pour some oil. Place all strips on the griddle and reduce heat to low. It will take approximate 10 minutes to fry them to golden brown color. At interval turn them to all sides. Check the picture. Do not over fry them. Paneer quickly gets burnt so keep flames on very low temperature. After all sides are fried to golden brown color remove from griddle and let them cool. Make half inch cubes with sharp knife.

B) Stir-frying Capsicum :

In the same griddle pour some more oil and add capsicum. Increase flames to high heat and stir-fry them by continuous stirring. It will take three - four minutes to cook capsicum. Remove from griddle and set on paper towel sprinkle some salt and toss.

C) Cooking Kadhai Paneer :

1. Take a big Kadhai or any heavy bottom pan. I cooked in anodized saute pan. Heat 2 Tb.spoon oil and add onions. Saute them for 4-5 minutes on high heat till they turn soft and transparent.
2. Add minced ginger and garlic and saute all for one minutes.
3. Add powdered spices and strands of saffron saute for two minutes.
4. Add half quantity of chopped tomatoes and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes on medium heat.
5. Add Fried cubed paneer and capsicum. Add red chilli powder and salt as per taste. Mix all well and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add 1/2 cup water and remaining tomatoes. Cook for 4-5 minutes. At this stage you can adjust gravy. Add little more water if you need more gravy. I cooked in dry manner, almost no gravy, just let paneer and capsicum to get coated with onion, spices, tomatoes.
7. Add 2 Tb.spoon heavy cream. Mix all well and add fresh cilantro. Stir-fry on high heat for two minutes. Shut off gas. Cover with lid and let it stay for some time before serving with roti or rice.

Kesar Pista Flavored Shrikhand.

Shrikhand is a creamy and delicious healthy dessert from Maharashtra/Gujrat. I made this Kesar and Pista flavored Shrikhand for Dussehra.

Ingredients :-

• 32 Ounce (2 pound) Yogurt.
• 1 Cup confectioners sugar (adjust as per taste).
  
• 3 pinches of Saffron strands (Soak in 1Tb.spoon hot milk for 2 hours).
  
• 8-10 cardamom - make fine powder.
• 1/4 Cup Pistachio - Pick only bright green colored pistachio and remove skin. Make 1Tb. spoon fine powder and finely slice remaining pistachios.
• 1 piece cheese cloth or muslin cloth ( For cheese cloth make three layers).

Preparation Method:-

1. Take one medium deep bowl and place cloth over bowl, spread edges of cloth equally over bowl. Slowly add 32 Oz. yogurt into the bowl. Hold all four edges of cloth and merge together and make tight knot. Tightly secure all yogurt. Don't leave any gaps while making knot. Hang this over sink or any other suitable place in kitchen. Use same bowl to collect dipping liquid from yogurt. Give at least 15-20 hours to drain out all liquid. You may reduce hanging time by gently pressing yogurt at regular intervals and speed up the process of extracting liquid from yogurt. After 15 hours open the knot and take out strained yogurt ball (Chakka). Scrap all yogurt from cloth.
   
2. Take 2-3 quart glass or steel bowl and place strained yogurt ball (Chakka). Add 1 cup confectioners sugar, saffron milk and half soaked saffron strands, powdered cardamom, powdered pistachio and half the quantity of sliced pistachio. Mix all with spatula. You may use hand blender and give one quick swirl to mix all ingredients in the bowl. Do not over run hand blender. Adjust level of sugar as per taste.
3. Add remaining soaked saffron strands and sliced pistachio. Mix all well with spatula and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.
4. Serve with puri, chapati or enjoy in bowl.

Note :- You may add some sour cream for more creamy and rich taste also this will help to increase the quantity. 32 Oz. Yogurt gives you one full cup of Chakka and 1 1/2 cup of strained liquid (Whey).